Team Clarion
NEW DELHI – Several prominent seers and Hindu religious leaders have objected to the installation of a statue of Samajwadi Party (SP) founder and former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, Mulayam Singh Yadav, at a camp during the ongoing Maha Kumbh Mela.
The statue, which was unveiled on January 11, has been criticised for its symbolism, with some accusing the late political leader of harbouring anti-Hindu views.
The statue in Sector 16 of the Maha Kumbh Nagar in Prayagraj was set up by the Mulayam Singh Yadav Smriti Seva Sansthan, an organisation dedicated to promoting the late leader’s legacy, Leader of Opposition in Uttar Pradesh Assembly Mata Prasad Pandey said on Sunday. Pandey described it as a tribute to “Netaji” (a term of endearment for Mulayam Singh Yadav) and his enduring influence. He explained that the camp was established to spread Yadav’s thoughts and ideas, offering food and shelter to pilgrims and visitors, media reports said on Monday.
However, the installation did not go well with members of the Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad, the apex body of Hindu religious leaders.
Its president Mahant Ravindra Puri said Mulayam Singh’s statue has been installed to show seers that he “killed” people from the community.
“We have no objection to Mulayam Singh’s statue. He has been our chief minister. But what message do they (SP people) want to give by installing the statue at this time. Everyone knows what his contribution has been to the Ram temple movement. He has always been anti-Hindu, anti-Sanatan and in favour of Muslims,” he said.
Juna Akhara’s Mahamandaleshwar Yati Narsinghanand also lent support to Puri’s remarks, backing the Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad’s condemnation of the statue. Both figures have expressed concerns that the installation of the statue at a site as sacred as the Kumbh Mela a major Hindu religious event was an affront to their beliefs.
While the statue remains a point of contention, Mata Prasad Pandey clarified that it was installed in a symbolic manner, with the intention of honouring the memory of Mulayam Singh Yadav. He further explained that the statue would be moved to the party office once the mela concluded. Pandey refrained from commenting on whether SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, Mulayam’s son, would visit the mela, though he mentioned that he had personally taken a dip in the Sangam on Saturday.
Mulayam Singh Yadav, who died in October 2022, was a towering figure in Uttar Pradesh politics. A three-time chief minister and former defence minister, he served as an elected MLA and MP for over five decades, representing constituencies such as Mainpuri and Azamgarh.